After his first start in Texas they started pitching him every 5th day no matter if he was up in the rotation or not. He logged 51.1 innings out of 54 his first six starts. Three of those were in the 90+ heat with 50% humidity at the Rangers ballpark. His ERA over those first 6 was 2.63 with record of 1-2 and team record of 3-3. His last 4 are all losers still skipping over others in the rotation and pitching every 5th day his ERA is 8.40 and 24-2/3 of 36 innings.
My point is he's being overworked and mismanaged. He is a fierce competitor who is learning that pitching in Texas is brutal because of the heat/humidity and they are burning this guy up.
He is still one of the top 3 pitchers in the league and I would be shocked if he stayed in Texas unless they do something really special in post-season.
My point is he's being overworked and mismanaged. He is a fierce competitor who is learning that pitching in Texas is brutal because of the heat/humidity and they are burning this guy up.
He is still one of the top 3 pitchers in the league and I would be shocked if he stayed in Texas unless they do something really special in post-season.
Are you kidding?? He's supposed to be an ace, and its too much to ask him to pitch every 5th day??? That's why the Rangers got him - to give them quality starts and to anchor what was already a solid rotation. Jim Palmer, Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver...those guys pitched every 5th day in the horrendous, humid summers of the Mid-atlantic and they consistently pitched 220+ innings and won 20 games every year.
Cliff Lee, like most of today's pitchers, is a joke.
They have mandated he pitch every 5th day not every 5th start. When they have an off day Lee leap-frogs over whoever would have normally been the starter. I have never seen a team do that .
The Mid-Atlantic does not even begin to compare to the oppressive heat/humidity of Texas. Why do you think they virtually play no day games after April? Where else does that occur?
If they ever want to play in an ALCS and World Series, they better not burn up Lee so they can run away with the AL West
The Mid-Atlantic does not even begin to compare to the oppressive heat/humidity of Texas. Why do you think they virtually play no day games after April? Where else does that occur?
If they ever want to play in an ALCS and World Series, they better not burn up Lee so they can run away with the AL West
